Make It Better
by Rizzy.and.Izzy
Summary: "It broke Jane's heart when Maura was sad." Can Jane make it better? A little ficlet for a friend.


_All mistakes are mine, it's late and I tried my best._

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It broke Jane's heart when Maura was sad. And she always knew when Maura was sad too. She didn't need anyone else telling her, including Maura. They'd been beyond words for a while now. Her body would always give her away well before she could say anything anyway.

Jane was just about to open the door and enter the Dirty Robber when she saw Maura through the window. Her usually impeccable posture now slightly hunched over, and she knew. Her shoulders drawn into herself, her hands on her lap, looking down, and she just knew. Maura was sad, and now Jane was too.

Jane knew why Maura was sad. Maura was supposed to be here with her mother. She was supposed to have dropped by after her gallery opening. Jane was supposed to have arrived fashionably late, giving both women a chance to catch up with each other again. After a short while, when Jane had finally made her entrance, it was supposed to be to a laughing Maura and her mother. That laughter, bubbling over, was supposed to have welcomed Jane in. But now, only sadness greeted her when she reached for the door. This was not how it was supposed to be. Jane had to fix it. If Maura was sad, and Jane was sad, something definitely had to be fixed.

Jane finally let go of the door, unaware she had been holding onto it for dear life. She was only aware of a deep desire to make Maura happy again. Or at least smile again. How she loved to see her smile. Best case scenario, she could do both, make her happy again and see her smiling.

Most times, when she would enter the Robber and Maura was already there, she would tap her on the shoulder and quickly walk to the other side. Maura would look behind her, before slowly turning around with a bemused look on her face. Jane knew that this little joke was more funny to Jane than it was to Maura, but Maura was always a good sport about it.

But not tonight. Jane would most definitely not be doing that tonight. That would not get a smile out of Maura and she knew it. What it would do was cause Maura, the love of her life, to quickly turn around to see if her mother had finally arrived. And then, realizing what had actually happened, she'd slowly turn back around, dejected and even sadder. And those sad eyes would then look deep into Jane's eyes. An almost unspoken _"why?"_ lurking deep within them. _"Why did you do that? Why isn't she showing up? Why doesn't she love me?" _

That is not what Jane wants to have happen. No. The shoulder switch is not for times like this. Jane knows Maura plays along with it, doesn't truly mind it, because Jane knows when to use it. It's for times when things are lighter, when things are brighter. When the atmosphere isn't as heavy as it is now. If Maura's mother had shown up, that would have been the perfect time for it. But her mother isn't here. And Jane remembers what she needs to do. She needs to make up for her mother's absence. Again. She needs to make it better.

It's only the third time, but it's still too many. It can't keep going on like this. After every time her mother doesn't show up, it always takes her girlfriend just a little bit longer to bounce back. Jane wonders if this might have been her fault. After all, she was the one who tried to bring Maura and her mother closer again. And she thought she had done that. But what if all she had done was give Maura's mother even more chances to fail her? Jane can't think about that now, she just has to make Maura better. She means she has to make Maura happy. Could she make Maura better? She knows Maura makes her better. But Maura's already the best.

Jane's legs almost unconsciously carry her over to Maura, she desperately wants to see her. Maybe she isn't up close, as dejected as she seems from afar. Before she gets to her, which will be in mere seconds, she tries to quickly think of what to do to make her feel better. Her legs are bringing her to Maura faster than her mind can think. She has no idea what to do. Damn her long legs, even if Maura does love them.

Jane sits down in the stool next to Maura, it's all she can think to do. Something will come to her soon, she knows it will. Maura doesn't move. Jane's heart breaks a little more. Maura, with her head down looking defeated, is soul crushing. Maura finally lifts her head and looks over to Jane. Jane could swear it was as if she had just walked in on the supposed scene she had pictured in her mind. Maura's eyes brighten, her back straightens, her face changes from the frown it had only seconds ago to a full fledged smile threatening to overtake her whole face. This can bring even the most crushed soul back to life. This is enough to make the whole world shake.

Jane starts to think maybe Maura misinterpreted her late appearance. Jane knows that where Maura's mother is concerned, Maura's mind is not the steel trap it usually is in regards to everything else. This causes Jane to think about exactly how long Maura has been sitting here, alone, and just how much longer it would have taken her to call Jane. Jane wonders if Maura is even aware of how much time has passed, of just how long she had been sitting here.

What Maura does next pretty much proves to Jane that Maura had forgotten about what Jane had said to her earlier. About letting her talk with her mother alone and that she would show up later. She would most definitely show up later. Maura throws her arms up and over Jane's shoulders. She hugs her tightly around her neck and says "You came, you didn't forget." It's both a statement and a question. Maybe Maura did know how long it had been. Maybe she didn't call Jane because she wanted to see how long it would take her to get here. To see if she even would get here. There's so much loaded into that short sentence that Jane can barely take it all in.

But with Maura's arms around her, this moment is slowly becoming like the moment Jane had originally imagined. No longer with Maura and her mother, but with Maura and Jane. Jane thinks maybe she does make Maura better. Maybe she is all Maura needs to be happy. Jane pulls back just a bit, she needs to see Maura's face.

Happy. Her face, her eyes, her whole being is happy again, and smiling too. Without even doing anything, Jane's somehow managed to fix it. They've fixed each other. They do make each other better, and it's just by being there. Together they are the best.

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_FLUFF overload. _

_For my friend. It's late, and I don't know if you're still up but feel better, Smile. :)_


End file.
